Tag Archives: Fall 2014

BY JULIANNA PRATT, ’16 // early childhood and elementary education

Upon arriving in Dublin, I didn’t have many expectations. I wanted to come into this experience with an open mind and let what happen, happen. One thing I hadn’t expected was how much it was going to impact my life. Studying abroad has to be one of the best decisions I made in my life. There is no experience I would rather replace this with. This experience made me realize how lucky I am to have the capabilities to do something like this and go to a school that cares so much about getting its students abroad. Champlain College has given me one of the best experiences of my life and for that I thank you.

I hadn’t expected to make such good friends. Coming into this trip, I was nervous that I really only knew two or three people and everyone else had just been faces that I passed in the halls. But I couldn’t have asked for a better crew of people. Being a small group of students really helped us to bond. We got the chance to really get to know all of the people we were traveling with especially when we went on our field trips to the North and West of Ireland. It makes me grateful to think about all of these wonderful people that walked into my life. Never did I think I would come home with so many new friends.

When you come to Ireland, do more of what I should have done more of: go to a few pubs alone. Find something off the beaten path, something hidden down a side street or not overflowing with tourists, probably something on the North Side of the Liffey. It should have an older feel, like the […]

Last weekend I took my final trip to Florence to see two amazing friends. It was only as I was boarding the plane to go back to Dublin did I fully realize that I had spent my last weekend abroad in Italy. I have begun the final countdown to getting back to New Jersey. Although I am […]

It was truly a reason to give thanks this past Thanksgiving as a group of Champlain Study Abroad Dublin students were treated to a private tour of inside Ireland’s parliament and senate buildings. These lucky budding historians were given a special behind the scenes tour of Leinster House which few local Dubliners or Irish citizens […]

Recently we were treated to a visit from some Vermont-based VIPs. Visiting were Champlain’s new President Donald Laackman, new Provost Laurie Quinn, Senior VP for Finance and Administration David Provost, and Senior International officer James Cross. The visit was mainly to acquaint the new administration with all that we do here in Dublin; academics, social, cultural….all […]

Traveling wasn’t my thing before coming to Dublin. It was something I wanted to do in the ubiquitous future when I had the money or wasn’t as busy or when I could rent a car. I was scared out of my skin to even fly out of the country without my parents and live in […]

BY JULIANNA PRATT, ’16 // EARLY CHILDHOOD AND ELEMENTARY EDUCATION

Adventure- Don’t just sit in your apartments!One of the biggest mistakes you can make on this trip is just staying at home and sitting in your apartment. You are in a city with millions of opportunities. Even if you can’t travel much outside of Ireland, there are so many cheap and exciting things to do around you! Always make an effort to get out of your apartment and experience all that Ireland has to offer.

Myself and Kaitlin in Italy

Book your trips early – Don’t wait, it’ll only get more expensive!The first thing you should do when you get here is book your trips. Get the schedule for the semester, check your syllabi, and book your trips. The earlier you book them the cheaper they will be and the more prepare you can be to travel.

Cook – Make your own meals and save millions (or at least a couple of bucks)!Almost every night my roommates and I cook dinner together and it has worked out beautifully. We’ve saved so much money by going in on food together and sharing the responsibilities of cooking. It has definitely made a huge impact financially because you know you aren’t going to eat that 18 pack of eggs all by yourself before they go bad!Continue reading →

BY julianna pratt, ’16 // early childhood and elementary EDUCATION

Fall Break was magical. During this week-long break I had the opportunity to visit Italy, a place I have been longing to go to since I can remember. My entire family is very Italian and I have always dreamed of going there. It was just as perfect as I could imagine. The architecture was beautiful, as well as the views of the rolling hills of Italy and the wine, the most delicious wine. My seven days in Italy were fabulous, I couldn’t have asked for a better break with three of my closest friends.

The view of the Alps from the air

I hopped on the plane in Dublin and flew over to mainland Europe and I got to see the most fantastical scene, the Alps from the air. It was absolutely beautiful. Then as we landed I was so excited because I was finally here. I landed in Italy! I couldn’t imagine being more excited. I then took a bus from Pisa to Florence and the real adventure began. I walked through all of Florence, heading to my friends’ apartments and I was just stunned. I kept stopping and gazing around; I was awestruck. Everything was brilliant. As I entered Renae and Katelyn’s, my two friends, apartment, I ran straight to their big open air window and glanced at the street below. Everything was just as I’d pictured.

Enjoying aperitivo with my friend Renae

Later that night, I learned of one of the most glorious part of Italian culture. Aperitivo. Aperitivo is a before dinner appetizer and drink. You pay 7€ to 10€ for any drink and you get to eat at the appetizer buffet all night long for free and everything was delicious. Negroni was the best place for aperitivo in all of Florence, all the food was delicious and the staff was friendly. It was a great way to start my adventure in Italy.

The pizza!

The next day we got to experience the Central Market which is filled to the brim with fresh fruits, vegetables, and meats as well as having some of the best pastries around. Any food you could imagine was sold there and that was just the first floor. The second floor was filled with restaurants and kitchens for cooking classes. This was where I ate the best pizza, hands down, that I ever had in my life. All the ingredients were fresh including the dough, cheese and vegetables. It was amazing. Outside the central market, the streets were filled with hundreds of vendors each of them selling different things, trying to draw you into their booth. Seeing this market opened my eyes to part of the Italian culture.

Kaitlin and I exploring the Boboli Gardens and the Petti Palace.

On Tuesday, I got to experience the Boboli Gardens and Petti Palace. This is probably one of the biggest pieces of land in Florence. This palace used to be owned by the Medici family and still holds many of their collections in what is now a museum. Petti Palace is home to exhibits of art, fashion, dishware, and much more. The history that I learned as I walked through the rooms of the palace was incredible. Also I think one of my favorite places I visited on this trip was the Boboli Gardens. It had panoramic views of all of Florence and was filled with beautiful lawns and fountains. I could have spent hours just wandering through these gardens.Continue reading →

Earlier this month I had the fantastic opportunity to attend Dublin’s Web Summit. Nearly two weeks later and I am still taking it in: new friends and potential business contacts, amazing speeches and panels, after parties, and more. The aftermath is still occurring as I haven’t come down from the high yet. But how did […]

Post navigation

About

Champlain Abroad Dublin is an Irish study abroad campus of Champlain College of Burlington, Vermont, USA.
Each semester a group of American students come to Dublin to take US-accredited courses with an Irish flair and immerse themselves in Dublin and Ireland.This is a student, staff & faculty blog where we post about courses, field trips, cultural activities, life in Dublin and things relating to the experiences of our students studying abroad in Ireland.